132 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 14, 18S4. 
DBA.C2ENA GOLDIE ANA. 
This plant is by no means difficult to propagate, yet it is 
slow, and a long time must elapse before a stock can be raised 
if only one ordinary trade size plant is obtained to start with. 
The time necessary to raise a stock is undoubtedly the cause of 
its price at the present time, which has been maintained at 
a higher rate than any fine foliage plant of recent introduction. 
It has been said that gardeners do not appreciate it, and I cer¬ 
tainly did not after obtaining a small but expensive starved plant 
which took me two or three years to grow into a specimen, but 
at the present time I think differently. I feel persuaded that 
this Dracgena will become one of our most popular plants, both 
for the embellishment of stoves and the furnishing of dwelling- 
rooms. The marbled markings of the foliage have a very pleasing 
effect, and show even more clearly by artificial than by natural 
light. Its foliage is strong and leathery—in fact, like D. gracilis 
in this respect, which is one of the best Dracaenas that can be 
grown for room-decoration. Another advantage it possesses, 
and one that is of importance when plants are required for 
vases of a certain size, and that is, it can be grown when fully 
2 feet high with large well-developed leaves iu 5 and 6 inch pots. 
This is not the case with Dracaenas generally, for to develope 
them as they should be they enjoy liberal root room. D. Goldie- 
ana and D. gracilis are exceptions to this rule, the former being 
very much finer rooted than any other variety. 
Another recommendation this plant possesses is that large 
well-developed heads can be taken off and rooted without 
losing a leaf or making small ones at the top after it has 
become rooted; such at least, so far, has been the case with 
me. The orthodox system of mossing must not be practised, 
for I should be afraid to speculate on the length of time it 
would take before the stem emitted roots. The system to 
adopt is to take off the head at a joint where the wood is 
not too firm, for the firmer the base of the stem of the head 
the longer the space of time it will take to root. If the plant 
is strong and vigorous it should be severed about 1 foot from 
the top. The base must be cut clean with a sharp knife, and none 
of the foliage removed. The head should be inserted in a 
4 or 5-inch pot filled with equal parts of loam and peat in 
which has been mixed a liberal dash of sand. A little of the 
latter should be placed in the centre for the base of the stem to 
rest upon. After insertion a good watering should be given, 
and the position in which they are to be placed entirely depends 
upon the season. At the present time, or when the sun has not 
much power, any position will do providing bottom heat can be 
given and a night temperature of 65° maintained. No propa¬ 
gating frame or handlight is necessary, for I am convinced the 
cuttings root better when treated like Pine suckers. In summer 
we should, however, place them in a frame or handlight if we 
could not guarantee keeping them well shaded from the sun 
without. The leaves, even if placed in a close propagating 
frame, never show signs of damping, as Dracaenas generally do 
if highly coloured. 
A portion of the remaining stem of the old plant nearest 
where the head was taken may be cut into lengths with a leaf 
attached and inserted in small pots, and every one in due time 
will root and form a plant. When the stem is thoroughly firm 
we do not advise it to be cut into lengths because they take so 
long to root, but place the plant in strong brisk heat, and when 
young shoots are made near the top slip them off with a small 
heel and root them. This is slow but sure, and many plants can 
thus be produced from one. Those raised from the stem will 
never make such fine plants in appearance as the heads make, 
but they can be grown on until they are strong, and then their 
heads can be rooted. By this means a stock of very fine plants 
can_ be produced. _ Plants in 5 and 6-inch pots from 12 to 
18. inches high with large fine foliage to the base are con¬ 
spicuous specimens for standing singly in vases. When well 
grown it is also a very striking plant in the stove, and fortu¬ 
nately does not quickly grow too large for purposes of decoration. 
—W. Bardney. 
Carnation Souvenir de la Malmaison.— The rose and flesh- 
coloured varieties of the above Carnation are great favourites with most 
people. The blcoms individually are of great size, and the fragrance 
delightful. They are very useful for conservatory decoration, also for 
cut flowers, as a single bloom will scent a large room. If large plants 
aie required the old flower stems should be removed, the plants turned 
out of the pots, some of the old soil being removed, and then the plants 
placed in larger well-drained pots. The shoots should be layered equally 
over the pot. Healthy foliage down to the rim of the pot is thus 
obtained, and each layer has its own roots to support it, consequently 
much finer blooms are secured than by only having the old stem to 
support all the shoots. If there are more large plants than are required, 
and it is wished to increase the stock, each layer may be taken off when 
rooted and potted singly. These are very useful to associate with small 
plants in the conservatory.— A. Young. 
FRUIT-TREE CANKER AND ITS CAUSES. 
• The Astwood Amateur Gardeners’ Society have had this subject before 
their meetings four or five weeks, with the results chronicled in the 
enclosed extracts, some parts of which perhaps might be worth a discus¬ 
sion in the Journal of Horticulture, which could not fail to be interesting 
and might be profitable.—J. Hiam. 
[We readily publish the following summary of the proceedings of one 
of the meetings referred to.] 
“ The discussion on canker and its causes was resumed by Mr. Hiam, who 
said :—Gentlemen, you are all, no doubt, aware of the nature of the subject 
we intend to discuss and examine to-night; it is the postponed examination 
of insects, &c., by the aid of the microscope, in order, if possible, to arrive at 
the cause of so many fruit trees, such as Apples, Pears, Apricots, and Plums, 
cankering and dying prematurely. I will not occupy your time with a long 
paper on my own opinions, because I feel sure we shall be far better and 
more interestedly employed in observing the various insect life taken from 
the trees in a cankered state. I intend to submit three questions to the 
meeting for discussion, in order, if possible, to obtain the opinions of others, 
and I trust the replies will be short and to the point in order to save time. 
1st, What is canker, as generally understood in fruit culture? My own 
reply is, that it is a premature de'cay of the wood, often the young vigorous 
shoots of one year’s growth. 2nd, What is the cause ? It is generally 
attributed to bad drainage of the subsoil; but not unfrequently we hear that 
the roots “ are on the gravel,” that was the only reason given that I can 
remember in my young days. Another will tell us that it is owing to sudden 
changes of temperature or climatic causes, such as from severe frosty nights 
followed by hot sunny days in spring. Then, again, we have some sorts of 
Apples which are, undoubtedly, more subject to canker than others. My 
idea is, as you are already aware, that we may, by careful investigation, 
with the aid of our needle glasses and the microscope, trace most, if not all, 
of our troubles to minute insect pests, existing and insidiously eating the 
inner bark until they surround a shoot and cut off the sap communication 
with the upper part, when it withers and dies. The shrinking of the bark, 
which is generally noticed at the base of a fruit spur, is the first indication 
that something is wrong. The shrinking or subsiding of the bark is as 
natural as it would be for ice on a pond to subside if the water were pumped 
out. If we take a knife and cut open the infected or diseased part we find 
the larv£B of insects thickly distributed over the dead space, eating the life 
out of it, as I will show you presently, also the insects which I believe to be 
the parents, and also undeveloped eggs thickly distributed on the bark, more 
especially on the base of bloom buds. As regards some sorts of Apples or 
other fruits being more subject to their attacks than others, may I not ask 
why insects should not have their preference for our best flavoured sap, as 
well as us individuals for the fruit ? It is generally admitted that Ribston 
Pippin Apple is the most attacked, and, with me, Blenheim Orange next. I 
might go more fully into this question, but time will not allow. 3rd, What 
is the remedy? I say stamp it out, if possible, by pruning out every bit of 
dead wood ; rub off all loose bark from the stems and boughs—first, I should 
have mentioned, placing newspapers or something under the trees to catch 
the rubbish, as this contains, it may be, thousands of insects’ eggs and larvae, 
which must be carefully collected and burnt. Now apply with a brush, or, 
to parts that cannot be conveniently got at, with a syringe, a solution of 
1 oz. of coal-tar soap to a gallon of warm soft water ; this will kill any stray 
insect in about a minute, as I have tried by experiment. As this is rather 
strong suds I cannot say whether it would be at all injurious to the trees ; 
but in order to be on the safe side it would be advisable to well syringe with 
clean water before the suds dry on. If thought advisable a good dressing 
with limewash, in which a little soot and soft soap is added, may be applied 
as far as the brush will admit. I may say, as you know, I take much interest 
in our birds ; we have (or rather should have, as Nature provided them, but, 
unfortunately, they have nearly disappeared from the land) several kinds of 
woodpeckers, with their long telescope-like tongues which they can insert 
into every hole and cranny in the bark and fetch out these lurking insect 
pests. We have a few of those interesting and useful tree-creepers also left, 
which feed exclusively, I believe, on bark insects. The whole of the tit 
tribe, and the beautiful golden-crested wrens also take their part in keeping 
down millions of insects unnoticed by the human eye. 
“ Mr. B. Harris stated, that having noticed the matter very carefully he 
felt convinced that insects, and not the gravel, were the cause of canker. 
Mr. Darby produced what he considered was a different sort of canker. The 
top part of the tree was all dead, the whole of the buds being taken with the 
canker. The buds being very sappy the insects preferred them as a depositing 
place for their eggs. The only thing he felt he could do was to follow Mr. 
Hiam’s advice. Mr. A. Thornton thought that as far as he was concerned 
the idea as to insects being the cause, and not the effect, was rather new to 
him, but after hearing the remarks already made, and seeing the evidence 
produced, he was inclined to think there was something in it. The flow of 
sap was undoubtedly stopped by the canker, and the insects fed on it, as was 
seen by the leaders being quite gone. He felt, however, that the sort of 
tree and the nature of the soil had something to do with it. Mr. W. Thornton 
expressed a belief that the insects made a choice of the tree. The develop¬ 
ment of the insect, from the egg to the living animal, was shown under the 
microscope. The meeting was most interesting and instructive. At the 
close a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Hiam for the production of 
specimens, and to Mr. W. R. John for the use of his microscope.” 
[With the above matter Mr. Hiam sent us photographs which truly, 
as he says, represent that Apple-growing is not altogether a theory, but 
a practice with him. One tree, an over-burdened Cobham, being a favourite 
haunt of the birds, about forty of which have been reared during a period 
of six years in an old tea kettle. Our correspondent is worthily engaged 
in preserving birds that are useful in gardens, and in endeavouring to find 
